Sole-edge protector for boots or shoes.



T. G. PLANT. SOLE EDGE PROTEGTOR FOR BOOTS OB SHOES. APPLIOATION PILED um. 19, 1909.

1, O26,048. Pa'tented May 14, 1912.

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p UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS G. PLANT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY OMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CQRPORATION OF NEW J'ERSEY.

SOIE-EDGE PROTEGTOE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912 To all 'whom it may concem: 4

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. PLANI', ,a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Sufiz'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in sole-Edge Protectors for Boots or Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawing representing like parts.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes the uppe'rs usually become more or less soiled' with wax and dirt, which must be removed before the shoes are shipped. The materials and work of removing this dirt and wax or in otherwise cleaning or finishing the uppers, either on the treeing machine or' otherwise, is found to mar the finish of the edges of the soles, and since these edges practi- 'shoe is indicated at from the opposite face to Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a

transverse sectional detail illustrating the engagement of the protection means with the forepart sole edge; and Fig, 4, a sectional detail. illustrating a preferred arrangement for protecting the heel rand or heel portion of the sole. z

Referring to the drawing, the sole of the thereof at S' the upper being indicated at U (Figs. 3 and t). The extent of the sole around the fore part is best shown at S (Fig. 3), the sole edge as here used including that portion of the welt to which it is attached in the usual manner.

Among the later processes of shoe making, though not thefinal process to which the shoe is' subjected, the outer edge or perimeter of the sole along the shank and about the forepart is finished or set, and either S, the shank portion and the heel at H, a portion of before or after the setting of the edge the margnal portion of the sole that projects beyond the upper, is also finished, usually .by wheeling, stitch separating or the like It should be understood that in referring to a welt shoe the term sole edge, as commonly used, includes not only the edge or marginal portion of the outsole but also thatporton of the welt projecting beyond the upper to which the outsole is Secured.

To protect the sole edge so set and wheeled or otherwise finished, my present invention comprehends a pliable and it may be textile shield 1 adapted to encircle the forepart sole edge and embrace more or less the top and bottom edge faces thereof. In the present embodiment of' my invention, this edge shield is shown as a part of a bag like member 2, which is stretched over the bottom of the sole and preferably has an aperture near the central portion of the the shield about this aperture being gathered about an elastic or other contractile device or member 3, which acts to draw the edge shield always closely to and about the sole edge.

To cover in whole or in part' the top face of the sole extensionthat is to say, the wheeled or separated face of the solethe shield 1 is formed to overlie such face to any desired extent, as indicated at 4 (Fig. 3). For the purpose of drawing this overlying` face portion 4 toward or into the crease between the upper and sole edge,.I have provided such overturned portion 4 'with a draw wire or member 5 which, When contracted, will serve to draw the edge of the shield closely down to the bottom of the sole, the edge of V crease. To -permit this wire drawn edge to draw into any inequalities or depressions in the bottom of the crease independently of a portion which overlies the sole edge, I have interposed an elastic member 6 between the margin of the shield 4 and that portion which embraces the wire which permits the latter closely to adapt itself to the bottom of the crease without requiring a corresp'onding change of contour in the edge portion l. Thus the elastic 3 upon the bottom of the sole draws the shield tightly to the edge from the bottom face of the sole, while the wire may be employed to draw the shield closely into the bottom of the crease,

` been set and wheeled.

To retain the shield in position, I may employ any suitable means, Conveniently a pair of resilient or elastic members 7 (Fig.

1) engaging the hooked ends of the wire f and at their opposite ends engaging the looped or otherwise suitably formed ends of a heel or rand shield 8 (see Fig. 4). This rand shield is preferably made of celluloid, metal or any suitable material that will conform approximately at least to the upper;

portion of the heel and cover so much of the face thereof as may be desired or necessary, the same being provided at its upper edge with an inturned, notched lip 9 to overlie the randor extend about the heel. This overlying lip retains the shield 8 in position and at the same time protects the heel finish thereunder.

It will be observed that the tension of the elastic member 7 operates to hold both the forepart and the heel shields in position and under constant tension, yet they may be readily removed by drawing either one sufliciently toward its corresponding end of the shoe to release it, and thereby permit ready removal of the other.

In applying the device, it will be convenient first to slip the forepart over and about the sole edge around the forepart and then 'Stretch the heel shield rearward and give it a half turn to cross the elastic members 7, when it-may be slipped into position upon the heel, the elastic members contracting to retain both shields in position.

To facilitate placing the forepart shield upon the sole and at the same time to aford additional protection to the sole edge at any desired point or points, I may employ a non-pliable shield 9 which may be of hard rubber, celluloid or metal, preferably cemented or otherwise secured to the textile member 2, and shaped approximately to correspond with the contour of the sole and constructed to present top and bottom overlying portions 10.and 11 to embrace and cover more or less the top and bottom edge faces of the sole. That portion 11 which overlies the bottom of the-sole is preferably of ubstantial width, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and is provided with rentrant openings 12 to furnish that degree of flexibility which is necessary to permit the device tobe Sprung open for application to the sole, 'yet readily to be closed in upon and to embrace the sole edge.

I .This device gives approximate shape to the textile shield and also gives a certain firmness or rigidity to the device to permit more ready and convenient handling thereof. It is preferably used in connection with the teXtile shield, giving added protection to the sole edge, although it is not necessary that two be always conjointly used.

Claims:

- 1. A fore-part sole edge protector comprising a pliable'shield having a top edge engaging portion, and means within the limits of the fore-part thereof to tension the same in position enconpassing the sole edge.

2. A fore-part sole edge protector comprising a textile shield having a top edge engaging portion, and means within the limits of the fore-part thereof to tension the same in position encompassing the sole edge.

3. A fore-part sole edge protector comprising apliable shield having a top edge engaging portion constructed to cover the sole edge and top ed e face thereof, and retaining means therei or within the limits of the fore-part thereof.

4. A fore-part sole edge protector comprising a pliable shield, and means within the limit of the fore-part to stretch it across the sole bottom.

5. A sole edge protector comprisingalaterally expansible shield to enconpass the fore part sole edge, and heel engaging retaining means therefor.,

6. A sole edge protector comprising a laterally expansible shield to encompass the fore part sole edge, heel engaging and retaining means therefor, and heel rand protecting and engaging means therefor.

7. A shoe sole edge protector comprising a shield shaped to encompass the forepart sole edge and means connected with said shield to engage the heel and draw the shank endsof said shield in diagonal directions to hold it closely on to the sole edge.

8. A protector of the character described comprising a shield having a part constructed to enter the rand crease of a shoe said shield being .shaped to protect the upper and side faces of the heel rand, and retaining means for said shield.

9. A protector of the character described comprising a shield having a part con- 'st-ructed to enter the rand crease of a shoe, said shield being shaped to protect the upper and side faces of the heel rand, and yielding retaining means for said shield.

10. A protectorof the character described comprising a shield having 'a part constructed to enter the rand crease of a shoe, said shield being shaped to protect the upper and side faces of the heel rand, and means' constructed for engagement with the forepart of the shoe to retan said shield in position.

11. A sole edge protector comprising a fore part sole edge shield, and a heel shield separable therefrom and elastically connected thereto to enable each to contribute to the retention of the other in position.

12. A sole edge protector' comprising a resilient outer sole edge shield, and pliable detachable retaining means therefor.

13. A sole edge protector comprisng a resilient outer sole edge shield, and detachable retaining means therefor. I

14. A fore-part soleedge protector comprising a sole edge shield provided with a top edge protecting' portion, and means to draw the latter toward the bottomof the crease between the upper and sole.

15. A protector of the character described comprising a shield shaped to protect the top, side and bottom faces of the margin of a shoe sole, means for tensioning said shield across the bottom of said sole, and means actng yieldingly to draw said'shield over the upper face of the sole margin toward the upper of the shoe.

16. A protector of the character described comprising a pliable shield member and a resilent shield member supporting said pliable member, said members being shaped to protect the top, side and bottom faces of the mal-gin of a shoe sole and having an aperture formed therethrough near the central portion of the part that covers the shoe bottom.

In testmony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificaton, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT H. KAMMLER, J. F. MCCLOSKEY. 

